Today, my girlfriend of 3 years told me that I was part of an experiment for her Sociology doctorate. I also learned that the notebooks she's been writing in for the past three years aren't for her "doctorate in literature" as she had told me, they were notes on my behavior for the past 3 years. FML
I agree, your life sucks (35750) - you totally deserved it (1654)
On 09/10/2009 at 9:37am - love - by Dave (man) - United States (Ohio)
Too many negative votes, comment buried. Show the comment.
so what the fuck does that mean. did she break up with u or what. stupid fml
Are you an idiot? He was never her boyfriend, she was doing an experiment and OP was the guinea pig.
Too many negative votes, comment buried. Show the comment.
Jesus Christ on a fucking Intoxicunt, was Th217 from the reject line at Genetics Defective Inc.?!
Too many negative votes, comment buried. Show the comment.
@OP: It's time her experiment got a little too real. ;]
You: "Oh! Here, I'll help you. This is what happens when a girlfriend pisses her boyfriend off." Followed by you punching her in the face, stomache, and breasts.
This is actually very believable. If the OP was aware of her studying him, the results would be tainted and no longer relevant. It may be cruel but it is the only way. The social behavior of humans is difficult to understand.
#110 - On 09/10/2009 at 11:35pm by natsumosam92
#76:
Yeah that's the way to do it...domestic violence...fucking loser. Whether you were trying to be funny or not, that was retarded. If she didn't hit him first...there's no legality in it.
-----
As for the OP...cry me a river this isn't real. IF it is...the best way to get back is to ignore the bitch. **Most** chicks don't like to be ignored. I don't, and that can bother us the most. Do your own experiment on her lol.
#120 - On 09/11/2009 at 4:50am by lykan
To #110: Yes, this is very believable, if you're willing to believe that a student working on her PhD in Sociology would not understand the ethical problems of faking to be in a relationship with another human being. Any person who studies sociology, psychology, or any other field that would study humans would know that. Yes, studying humans is difficult, but regardless of the information that could be found by dating someone for 3 years, faking a relationship is not the answer. If this is real, I wonder if she ever got her study approved and what the hell is going on in that city. The boyfriend should dump her and then contact a local IRB office to alert them of the violations of ethics by this woman - putting such a big red mark on her resume might tank her career, and that would be definitely deserved. If she cannot follow ethics, she doesn't deserve to be in sociology. Ruin her, end of story.
#144 - On 09/12/2009 at 11:45am by sarroth
To #110: Yes, this is very believable, if you're willing to believe that a student working on her PhD in Sociology would not understand the ethical problems of faking to be in a relationship with another human being. Any person who studies sociology, psychology, or any other field that would study humans would know that. Yes, studying humans is difficult, but regardless of the information that could be found by dating someone for 3 years, faking a relationship is not the answer. If this is real, I wonder if she ever got her study approved and what the hell is going on in that city. The boyfriend should dump her and then contact a local IRB office to alert them of the violations of ethics by this woman - putting such a big red mark on her resume might tank her career, and that would be definitely deserved. If she cannot follow ethics, she doesn't deserve to be in sociology. Ruin her, end of story.
#145 - On 09/12/2009 at 11:48am by sarroth
true illegality! sociology or psychology experiment subjects have to be asked for permission previously. either this is a fake FML or this guys's life really, really sucks and has to sue his probably-by-now-ex
#12 - On 09/10/2009 at 2:14pm by catticho
Too many negative votes, comment buried. Show the comment.
unless she is dating you only for this experiment then wats the big deal.
WOOP WOOP WOOP WOOP! Looks like another one escaped from the Totally Missed the Fucking Point enclosure!
dingdingding!!! Yes, that is exactly it and that is exactly the big deal. Some people get married after 3 years, fuck the op's life.
#66 - On 09/10/2009 at 4:33pm by iGreen_Day
i thought that was illegal too...and frankly, it's just bitchy.
tell people you broke up with her, because she has VD
#93 - On 09/10/2009 at 7:40pm by the_stereotype
The person being observed does not have to be aware of the experiment, but there must be a very good reason for the experimenter to not inform them. While she would be unable to study someone in a relationship with her for 3 years properly with their knowledge, the ethical problems of faking a relationship would negate any of the positives gained from the study. It is illegal because of that, not simply because he is unaware. Also, if she is the researcher and the person dating him, her role as researcher might affect her role as girlfriend (a role which would cause many of the dating behaviors she is trying to study) - so this study is all sorts of wrong.
#146 - On 09/12/2009 at 11:51am by sarroth
wow that musta hurt
she only went out out with u for an experiment
and OMG no1 sed first
#3 - On 09/10/2009 at 2:08pm by colonel_crunk
you are 111th.. if that isn't grounds for saying 'first' then i don't know what is!
more like first-first-first XD
hey, if i was the OP, i'd go to the professor of the course she's studying and say that you've known ALL ALONG that your 'girlfriend' has been studying your behaviour. say that you knew and you were modifying your behaviour to make the results null and void
3 FUCKING YEARS OF HER STUDY AND LIFE RUINED! YEAH BITCH!!
#148 - On 09/13/2009 at 12:30am by BrEnNo1023
Can't be an experiment because if it was, human subjects have to give prior consent. Want to get even, complain to the dean of students that you unwillingly were a human subject for her experiments, feel as though your rights were violated and want to talk to someone at the university about its policies. She'll be F'd.
Agreed. She's wasted 3 years of your life, make sure she's also wasted 3 of hers. Revenge aside, that's horribly unethical of her.
There isn't a chance in hell that would pass any ethics board. If it really is for a doctorate (i can't see how) it would never ever pass
#6 - On 09/10/2009 at 2:10pm by anony06
Definitely true. I had to go get an undergraduate project approved by the ethics board just because I wanted to interview a couple of people (with their consent).
She has to obtain human subjects approval from her university before she can do anything involving a living person. Part of that involves consent documents prior, so I guess take heart in knowing she can't use anything she observed as part of her dissertation.
I concur.
I saw the original play in London at the Almeida.
Rachel Weisz was great. What a heartless skank!
#83 - On 09/10/2009 at 5:52pm by drimpossible
Dang you guys beat me. I totally thought of The Shape of Things when I read this. However I think what happened in that play was worse than what happened here.
The play/film was more (seemingly) heartless, but it took place over just a few months. The OP is claiming years here, so by time alone this - if it were true- seems worse to me.
College diploma stuff? Decisions based on sex? How old are you? What does whether or not she had sex with him have to do with him turning her in? If she really did this (and I'm tempted to call fake for the reasons everyone else has said--it's unethical to perform an experiment w/o consent and there's no way she could do her dissertaion like that), the point is not the sex; the point is that they'd been dating for three years and he'd fallen in love with a lie.
#73 - On 09/10/2009 at 5:03pm by nuthinleft2lose
File a complaint with her school's IRB if she tries to go ahead and use the results in her dissertation.
#11 - On 09/10/2009 at 2:13pm by greatnt249
that means the bitch was conducting a test or experiment without your consent as an unwilling participant, hopefully you'll have the balls to stand up to her and deny consent thereby not letting her use you and hopefully wasting three years of her life for what she did to you. oh and like #2 said, that's illegal so I'd also sue her
#16 - On 09/10/2009 at 2:15pm by ramdoodle45
What's he going to sue for? As of yet, nothing has been published and (thus) no damage has really been done.
#18 - On 09/10/2009 at 2:18pm by greatnt249
it's possible that he could sue for negligence if he feels she has caused him emotional damage/distress. ianal.
Did she get the idea from the play/movie "The Shape of Things"? Because that scenario is quite nearly the exact plot.
#19 - On 09/10/2009 at 2:20pm by BlueberryPies
So for three years, YOU thought YOUR girlfriend was going for a Ph.D in literature? YDI a little bit for not knowing what she had been doing all that time. But FYL for having a stealthy girlfriend who's been living a lie, at your expense. And for having a girlfriend who may have cheated. (Hopefully just on her sociology degree.)
#20 - On 09/10/2009 at 2:23pm by madjokes78
My god I'd be fucking livid. She is either in for the break up or her life or the roughest of rough sex.
this is rather unethical, especially if its the only reason she got with you. Unethical but funny.
#24 - On 09/10/2009 at 2:29pm by just_brilliant
Studying one person in a relationship doesn't really fall under the category of Sociology, more likely Anthropology (maybe Psychology depending on what behaviors she's looking for). Either this is fake, your girlfriend's lying, or you're too dumb to remember what social science she's studying.
#26 - On 09/10/2009 at 2:32pm by ELFENMAGICLOLZ
When are YOU going to submit an FML for me to laugh at? Huh?
#41 - On 09/10/2009 at 3:04pm by Intoxicunt
When pigs fly?
However, if that's the case, take a look at local airports.
Swine can now earn Frequent Flyer Miles. (;
#47 - On 09/10/2009 at 3:20pm by redbluegreen
...meaning she only dated you as part of an experiment or what? That's the only way I'd see an FML here.
#30 - On 09/10/2009 at 2:39pm by RavishMe77
This is definitely a play. Though if it really happened that sucks.
#32 - On 09/10/2009 at 2:47pm by carpenter_a
See, the problem is that no reputable university would have accepted a study like this. It goes against practically the entire ethics code for psychological experiments.
Without consent, there is no study, no doctorate. Hell, I had to get consent forms ready just to ask people to fill out a 1 page survey.
This FML is very suspicious to me. Either she didn't disclosed the study to you, making her 3 years of work moot, OOOOOOOOOR it's fake. Or she is totally insane because nobody would approve a study like this.
In any case, don't give consent, and bam, her study is ruined. Hell if you complained to the school you could probably get her thrown out for unethical conduct.
#34 - On 09/10/2009 at 2:55pm by arms_akimbo
That's a play by Neil LaBute, you dumbass. Also a movie starring Paul Rudd and Rachael Weisz. f*ckin poser, get a real life rather than imitating art
#37 - On 09/10/2009 at 3:02pm by Macthenyfe
Sucks for her--that thesis is NEVER going to get past her university's Ethics department. She's going to have to start all over. Feel better, dude.
very unethical. So college would approve this sort of study. The person being studied must give consent to being studied. You can get back at her Easily
oh man thats truly awful but im sure feminist19 will troll over and come up with some random defense for the woman
#43 - On 09/10/2009 at 3:09pm by canucksrule88
I'm Thinking your girlfriend just came up with a clever way to break up with you and knew you wouldn't be smart enough to know she was full of shit.
if this was real why would she need his consent wouldn't him knowing from the beginning taint the results?
I'm pretty sure this is an ethics violation. You can report her to her school's ethics board.
#51 - On 09/10/2009 at 3:25pm by Dragonmouth
WOAH WOAH WAIT
This is the plot to both a movie and play called The Shape of Things
Right down to the fucking thesis about how the relationship was an experiment
#59 - On 09/10/2009 at 3:59pm by Starchild21
Blatantly fake FML
Universities have these things called "ethics guidelines"
Jeez
This would never have got past her supervisor, let alone academic committee, registry, and HR approval.
#63 - On 09/10/2009 at 4:26pm by Pwibble
That's experimentation without consent and it is probably one of the worst things anyone in academics can do, trust me I am an academic. Its as bad as plagiarizing work. She is very immoral. I would go to the university she is at, contact the head of her department, and inform him. She will prevented from using the data and if she does you can sue the university. If you are conflicted about feelings of love, ask yourself if you really want to be with someone who committed the same immoral acts as the dark ages of psychology/sociology and is willing to deceive someone their in a relationship for three years.
Quite exactly! She's definitely going to fail this.
OP should also sue the little bitch while she's at it.
#81 - On 09/10/2009 at 5:44pm by DameGreyWulf
Dude that fucking sucks that is so evil in so many ways better put that chick in check. How fucking rude!!!
#70 - On 09/10/2009 at 4:48pm by puertorican8o8
I love how you douches think outside of the box. so did she grow to like him or was that it, it's open ended you fucks.
Maybe she turned in fake consent forms?
I know about having to have consent to experiment with humans. But I have never seen the form, so I have no idea if it is possible to forge.
It seems fake because it was stolen from "The Shape of Things" (movie/play) where the gf is using her bf for an art project...
Does she love you or was she just using you as an experiment? lol
#79 - On 09/10/2009 at 5:43pm by roflpenguin
I have a reason to believe it's fake: he said "sociology." Sociology is "group psychology"... he is only one person. Therefore, it would have to be a PSYCHOLOGY experiment. Good try though
this is bull. to conduct a study, there are ethics established by the APA, that you must follow, otherwise all information is moot. this is highly unethical, because the person wasn't privy to knowing a study was occuring. although, natural observation is perfectly fine, except for she obviously played a part, and manipulated variables, so this is a crap.
#84 - On 09/10/2009 at 5:53pm by thebigone
faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake. normally i hate people who say that, but seriously, just look at this shit
#87 - On 09/10/2009 at 6:29pm by little_boy
you ever hear of the woman who harassed an electrician for her psycology masters until he attacked her and turned her into a vegetable? you might consider putting her into that position.
#89 - On 09/10/2009 at 6:41pm by Subjectzero
Bullshit. No Sociology doctorate student would do that, because even a first-semester undergrad Sociology student knows that you would instantly be expelled for conducting a grossly unethical experiment. It's against the code of Sociologists to conduct experiments such as what you're describing. Not only would she be kicked out of her program, but she would more than likely be censured and blacklisted from Sociology circles, ensuring that any work she did in the future would be rejected.
What a shitty attempt to slander us men and women of science, fuckhead.
#91 - On 09/10/2009 at 7:21pm by capthavoc123
Sociology is not group psychology. Sociology is not even a branch of psychology. They are completely different fields of study.
#92 - On 09/10/2009 at 7:23pm by capthavoc123
what do you mean "totally different"? The two fields intertwine a lot. But my point still stands: it should be psychology and not sociology.
No University's IRB would sanction this. If they did, you're probably looking at a big suit that needs to be filed. Good luck brotha!
#94 - On 09/10/2009 at 7:41pm by JohnyJackhammer
well she is telling the truth. She said that the papers were for her doctorate, which they were.
#99 - On 09/10/2009 at 9:14pm by bassfromhell
im calling fake. I read that in a book. called Dumped By Popular Demand
#100 - On 09/10/2009 at 9:18pm by thesmarticalone
this one is a fake. it is basically a modified version of what happens in the play The Shape of Things.
Speechless. If it's tru it's by far the worst fml I have ever read . And I read alot of them. Also it Is probably illegal .
Fake. It's "Fuck My Life", not "Fuck My Imagination Because Nothing Interesting Happens To Me In Real Life".
#108 - On 09/10/2009 at 10:29pm by turboawesome88
This was definitely the plot to a movie that came out I'm not even sure how long ago.
#109 - On 09/10/2009 at 10:40pm by hmmm234567
This is the exact plot of "The Shape of Things" with Paul Rudd and Rachel Weisz from 2003. FYImagination.
"The Shape of Things" by Neil LaBute. It's a play, and the movie was adapted from it. Do you really think no one on here watches movies or reads books?
#116 - On 09/11/2009 at 1:05am by pieceustogether
damn your "girlfriend" is just plain out cruel......only if you asked her to marry you before this all happened......her reaction would be priceless =D
#117 - On 09/11/2009 at 1:59am by EveryDayJackAss
She just mindfucked you, loser. As if you're so enthralling that she would spend three years in your company for a PhD. What do you think she is? An intellectual prostitute?
My favourite thing about this thread is how it is really clear how many college/university students are on this thing. The discussions of university ethics committees or the differentiation between social sciences... you guys are great.
#124 - On 09/11/2009 at 10:26am by cowgomoomoo
You should inform her that she's been part of an experiment to see if you could pass along herpes. Then ask her if she's been itching of late.
And any college kid who's had to take Psych 101 would know what is legal and what is illegal on human test subjects.
#126 - On 09/11/2009 at 11:37am by RiverRelic
That is completely unethical, and I doubt any IRB would approve an experiment like that. She's lying to you.
Yeah, you're probably right. I mean, no one ever does anything unethical! She couldn't possibly have just, oh, done the experiment without getting it approved, or getting his informed consent! That wouldn't be ethical, and everything everyone does is ethical, always!
OP, I hope you know the right people to report her to. Some ideas: her advisor, a professor, the dean, someone on the IRB.
actually #12 you DON'T need to tell the test subjects anything you just have to not mention the names in you paper.
oh the joys of taking sociology
#129 - On 09/11/2009 at 12:47pm by lauraxxexplorer
Yes, you do. You need a test subject's consent before you can do shit to them. It has NOTHING to do with anonymity or any of that, it's that you could be damaging them in some way, and so need their permission to risk that, AND they need to be fully informed of the risks involved... there's a whole big deal about it, I can't exactly remember everything, but the point is you NEED consent.
And yes, using someone as a sociology experiment CAN be damaging, mentally speaking.
I think you are confusing blind (and double blind) studies, where there are CONSENTING patients, with what's going on here.
#139 - On 09/11/2009 at 9:33pm by DameGreyWulf
FAKE! The OP obviously has no fucking clue what sociologist are and aren't concerned with.
#131 - On 09/11/2009 at 2:20pm by JanisEvans
You're obviously a retard for not understanding what a sociologist is too. Not only that, but you had to post about how the OP doesn't know. Good Fuckin' Game all I can say to you. Seriously go on fucking Google and learn to read there.
Behavior is one of the things a sociologist studies.
So all you deserve you fuckin' dolt is a big fuckin' facepalm.
Oh wow, that really, really sucks! But isn't there some sort of law against doing experiments like that without prior consent? Otherwise we'd see this going on all over the place. I agree with other people out here, you should sue her. I've been with my girlfriend for just over four months, and even now I couldn't imagine how I would feel if something like that were done to me. Mind you, I really doubt that is the case, unless she's a damn good actress. Something like that just can't be legal. I wonder though whether she's making that shit up as an excuse to break up with you. It wouldn't surprise me, honestly.
maybe she was his girlfriend but didnt tell him she was studying him too.. its hard to believe that a girl could fake a relationship for 3 yrs..maybe sex but not a relationship
#133 - On 09/11/2009 at 5:50pm by baritone1whs07
What do you wanna bet she doesn't have IRB approval for that?
#134 - On 09/11/2009 at 6:25pm by FoundManyLemons
well she couldn't tell you what it was or you wouldn't act right and she wouldn't have good data
#136 - On 09/11/2009 at 8:04pm by sarcasticsmoothi
While it's true that she wouldn't have gotten good data if you knew, I'm fairly sure what she has done is against the code of ethics for Sociology (It definitely is for psychology experiments). You can make sure she never does her "experiment" (or any others, for that matter), by reporting her to that ethics board!
#138 - On 09/11/2009 at 8:27pm by leftthehouse
Fake, this is actually exactly how "The Shape of Things" goes (play/movie my Neil LaBute). You're an idiot, especially if you don't know the proper meaning of a sociologist. YDI for trying to fool FML.
#140 - On 09/12/2009 at 12:07am by Soitgoes74
I'd like to say FYL to the people who actually believe this is real! DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ!
Doubtful that you'll read this, but you should definitely contact the IRB (Institutional Review Board) at her school and report her for unethical research. She'll be kicked out of her program most likely and never be trusted as a researcher again.
There is such a thing called ETHICS in The Socal Sciences. And there is a line...If the person is not going to disclose identity ok. If the person was observing OK; but, if that person was experimenting and playing head games then there is a serious breech of ethics.
Also, in the Ethics you have to have specific permission from those you are studying before the experiment starts. Her doctorate should be thrown out!
#153 - On 09/16/2009 at 9:52pm by engineerbearcat
Shoot her. And on a court tell that you tested a gun. You will be justified.
I am really sorry of this story.
Oh please everyone.... this was a plot in a play. I highly doubt it really happened, since it would be illegal and therefore wouldn't count. The end.
#155 - On 10/04/2009 at 10:26pm by Pigamatoria
This was already posted acouple of months ago. and it wad worded better thse first time
#156 - On 10/28/2009 at 10:29pm by hot_tamale
if this really happened, she is either lying to break up with you or a very very sick person.
#157 - On 11/02/2009 at 2:07am by JohnnyChris
